Treatment of type 2 diabetes in youth: An argument for randomized controlled studies

Abstract

In North America, type 2 diabetes occurs in youth (children and adolescents) of specific ethnic backgrounds, including youth of Aboriginal, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, Japanese and African-American descent. The treatment of youth with type 2 diabetes represents a unique challenge for paediatricians because of physicians' long experience with this disease in adults but its short history in youth. The education and management of type 2 diabetes in youth must recognize the unique developmental, emotional and social issues associated with this age group, as well as the cultural, linguistic, geographic and socioeconomic issues associated with these populations. With the exception of insulin, the drugs used for adults with type 2 diabetes have not been studied in youth. There is an urgent need for long term, multicentre randomized controlled studies of oral drugs for type 2 diabetes in youth.